Step-by-step guide
Document Attestation Guide
Documents from your home country (degree certificates, marriage certificate, birth certificate) must be attested before they're legally valid in the UAE. The process is always 3 steps — but what those 3 steps are depends on your nationality.
Select your home country:
State-level attestation
Educational certificates: Get attested by the State Education Department (e.g. HRD or Education Ministry) of the state where the university is located. Personal documents (birth, marriage): Notarised by a notary public, then attested by the State Home Department.
🔗 hrd.gov.in (varies by state) →Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) attestation
Submit attested documents to MEA, New Delhi or a regional branch. MEA adds an apostille sticker (for Hague Convention countries) or standard attestation. MEA regional offices in major cities can be faster than Delhi.
🔗 apostille.gov.in →UAE Embassy in India + MOFA UAE
Take your MEA-attested documents to the UAE Embassy in New Delhi, or UAE Consulate in Mumbai or Chennai. Then get MOFA attestation in the UAE after arrival (at a typing centre or mofa.gov.ae).
🔗 mofa.gov.ae →💡 Cost estimate (varies widely)
Home country government fees: AED 50–200 equivalent. UAE Embassy fee: AED 100–300 per document. MOFA UAE: AED 150–200 per document. Professional attestation agents can handle the entire chain for AED 400–800 per document including pickup and delivery — often worth it for time savings.
⚠️ Plan well ahead
School admissions, visa sponsorship for dependents, and some employer processes require attested documents. Schools with waitlists will not hold a place while you complete attestation. Do this before (or immediately after) you arrive in the UAE.